Louisiana House Committee Advances Bill to Repeal Wrongful Conviction Compensation Law

The Louisiana House Criminal Justice Committee advanced a bill to repeal the state statute that allows financial compensation for individuals wrongfully convicted and later exonerated. Currently, the law permits up to $40,000 compensation per year of incarceration, but exonerees have reported systemic denial of these payments.

Lawmakers debated shifting the compensation responsibility from the state to local jurisdictions, with proponents arguing that statewide taxpayers should not bear costs for wrongful convictions in specific areas.